Gang operated switch



y 1949- J. A. POLLOCK m" AL. 2,470,576

GANG OPERATED SWITCH Filed Dec. 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ing John fLPoIloch LE -5i Ers/fine H. Coppinger aHocvuu y 1949- J. A. POLLOCK 5r AL 2,470,576

GANG OPERATED SWITCH Filed Dec. 23, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 29 1s 25 I 25 Q 5 27 M 24 12 za 28 35 2a 10 -30} 4 21 19 O I I .19 I

awuonlm JohnfLPollocK Ersh'l'ne ILCoppinger Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATESPPATENT OFFICE 2,470,576 GAN G OPERATED SWITCH John A. Pollock and Erskine H. Coppinger, Bainbridge, Ga., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to W. N. Matthews Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 23, 1946, Serial No. 717,864

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-48) This invention relates generally to improvements in electric switches and is directed par-- ticularly to gang switches designed for use in high tension electric current carrying and distribution systems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vertical gang operated switch structure for opening and for closing circuits of high tension lines, which is adapted to be operated either manually or by motor and by means of which the circuit opening or closing operation can be accomplished in about one second or less, which is a safe recognized speed for high tension air break switching.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vertically mounted gang operated switch of the character stated which is adapted to be opened and/or closed either manually or mechanically, with a smooth, continuous action and at the requisite speed to reduce arcing and at the same time avoid the breaking of insulators.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a vertically mounted gang operated switch structure of the character stated wherein a relatively long switch blade is supported upon a rotatably mounted insulator pile, to which pile rotary motion is transmitted through the medium of an operating shaft together with levers and links whereby the operator of the switch is sufllciently far removed from the current carrying elements of the switch to be protected from danger. Y

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modifled so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a vertical gang operated switch structure constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detail section through a shaft support and operated crank mounting.

Figure 4 is a section through a switch terminal taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating in 2 plan two arms supporting the fixed insulator piles and an arm upon which the pivoted insulator piles are mounted, the pole being in transverse section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral Ill generally designates a pole upon which are supported suitable insulators for connection therewith 01' high tension current carrying lines.

In the present illustration the switching mechanism embodying the present invention is shown as comprising three'superposedmnits designated A, B and C. However it will be understood that the present invention is not confined to this or any number of units as it will be readily apparent that the gang can include more or less than the number here shown.

The units of the gang switch are of identical construction and accordingly it will be understood that a description of one applies to each of the other ones shown.

Each of the units comprises the four radial insulators il, l2, l3 and 14 which are attached to the pole ill in a common horizontal plane as shown and these insulators have attached thereto the ends of electric current conductors l5, IS, IT and i8. The lines or conductors i5 and I1 carry current from the source of supply from a twoway feed while the conductors or lines It and II constitute the outlets.

Secured to the pole l0 and extending radially therefrom beneath each of the insulators ii and i3, is a rigid arm l8 upon the outer end of which is supported an insulator pile 20. Upon the top of each of the insulator piles 20 is a switch terminal 2| which is connected by the jump wire or lead 22 with the adjacent feed line.

Secured to the pole I0 beneath each of the outlet line supporting insulators i2 and I4, is an outwardly extending arm 23 which at its outer end is forked or divided into the divergent terminal portions 24. Upon the outer end of each of the terminal portions 24 is mounted the insulator pile 25, connected to the supporting terminal 24 by a pivot pin 26 whereby the pile may be turned or rotated on a vertical axis.

Secured to the top of each of the rotatable insulator piles 25 by means of a terminal pin 21, is an end of a relatively long switch blade 28. The free end of each switch blade 28 is adapted to have electrical connection with a switch terminal 2| as shown in Figure 2.

The terminal pins 21 of each adjacent two rotatable insulator piles 25 are electrically connected with the adjacent outlet line or conductor by the jump wires 29. Accordingly it will be 'seen that each two rotatable insulator piles 25 swung away from or into electrical connection with the fixed switch terminal which is in electrical connection with a feed line and accord- I ingly one or the other or both of the outlet lines can be disconnected from or connected with the feed lines, as may be desired.

The rotation of each of the rotatable insulator piles 25 is accomplished through the medium of a vertical shaft 30 which is supported upon the pole Ill.

As shown in Figure 3 the lower end of "the shaft 30 is mounted upon a suitable bracket 3| to turn on a vertical pivot 32 and such shaft extends upwardly through bearing guides 33, each of which is secured to and extends laterally from an arm 23, and at each guide the shaft has secured thereto the outwardly extending crank arm 34.

The shaft 30 '45 extended vertically the proper distance to accommodate each of the switch units and as will be readily apparent it has se- 'cured to it a number of cranks 34 equal to the number of switch units which the pole supports. Also, as will be readily apparent, there are four of these vertical operating shafts 30, equidistantly spaced around the pole l and each designed for the actuation of one switch blade 28 of each unit.

Secured to the pivot pin 26 of each of the rotatable insulator piles 25, is an outwardly extending crank arm 35 which is of the same length as and parallel with the crank arm 34 which is adjacent thereto. These two adjacent and parallel arms 34 and 35 are operatively coupled by the link 36, the two ends of which are pivotally attached to the crank arms 34 and 35, respectively by the pivots 3'! and 38. Accordingly it will be readily seen that when a shaft 30 is' turned each of the crank arms 34 attached thereto will transmit movement through the adjacent link 36 to the cooperating arm 35 to turn the adjacent insulator pile 25.

Any suitable means may be employed for rotating the shafts 30, the means here shown comprising a hand lever 39 which is pivotally coupled as at 40 to the lower end of each shaft 30 so that it may be.-swung upwardly to an out of the way position.

Each of the shafts 30, of course, extends through the complete group or series of vertically spaced units and is connected at each unit through the medium of the levers 34 and 35 and the link 36, with the adjacent rotatable insulator pile 25. Thus when any one of the shafts 30 is rotated the switch blade 28 of each unit with which the shaft is operatively coupled, will be swung relative to the switch terminal 2|.

It will be understood, of course, that the units will be spaced apart vertically in accordance with the voltage carried by the line and the switch parts will be appropriately constructed as to size to handle voltages of different values.

In the operation of the present invention if it is desired to clear the outlet line It, the operating handle or hand crank 39 for each of the two 4 shafts 30 nearest to the line It will be used to rotate the shaft to swing the switchblades 28 away from the switch terminals 2! which are adjacent to the feed lines l5 and II. This cuts out the outlet line IE but leaves the feed lines I 5 and I7 electrically coupled with the outlet l8 so that the latter remains in service. In the event that only the outlet line It is in service then the jump wires 29 at the line l8 would act as a by-pass to keep the feed lines l5 and I1 tied together.

If the outlet line I8 is to be cleared then it will be readily obvious that the hand cranks or handles 39 connected with the shafts 30 adjacent to the outlet lines are used to turn the shafts and shift the switch blades with which such shafts are indirectly connected through the linkage mechanism.

It will be readily obvious from the foregoing that if either of the feed lines l5 or I! is to be cleared or disconnected from the outlets I6 and IS the appropriate hand cranks 39 adjacent to the feed lines to be cleared will be employed for rotating the switch blades which are electrically connected with the feed line and therefore such line will be disconnected from the outlets l6 and I8.

We claim:

1. In a high tension electric current line switch, a supporting structure, a pair of relatively long insulators secured to said support to extend outwardly therefrom, said insulators being positioned to form an angle, an electric current feed line attached to the outer end of one insulator,

an electric current outlet line attached to the outer end of the other insulator, a vertically disposed insulator structure supported rigidly beneath the feed line, an arm disposed beneath the insulator to which the outlet line is attached, a vertically arranged insulator unit supported upon the outer end of said arm for rotation on a vertical axis, a switch terminal mounted upon the top of the first mentioned vertical insulator and having electrical connection with the adjacent feed line, a switch blade having an end secured to the top of the rotatable insulator and adapted to extend across the angle formed between the horizontal insulators for electrical connection with said switch terminal, an electrical connection between the outlet line and the attached end of the switch blade, and means pivotally supported upon said supporting structure, and operatively coupled with the pivoted insulator for effecting the turning of the pivoted insulator and movement, of the switch blade relative to said switch terminal.

2. A high tension line switch of the character stated in claim 1, in which the said means for turning the pivotally mounted insulator, comprises a shaft rotatably mounted on the supporting structure in spaced parallel relation with the turning axis of the pivoted insulator, a crank arm secured to the shaft, a crank arm secured to the rotatably mounted insulator, said crank arms being in spaced parallel relation, and a coupling link between said crank arms.

3. A vertically mounted gang operated switch construction for high tension electric current lines, comprising a supporting pole, a plurality of vertically spaced switch units carried by the pole, each of said switch units including two radiating insulators supported by the pole, a current feed line connected to one insulator, a current outlet line connected with the other insulator, an operating shaft extending longitudinally oi the pole and pivotally supported thereon, said shaft being positioned adjacent to the pole, a vertically disposed fixed insulator positioned beneath the feed line of each unit, a switch terminal supported upon the upper end of each vertical insulator, an electrical connection between each switch terminal and the adjacent feed line, a vertically disposed insulator positioned adjacent to the outlet line of each switch unit, said outlet line insulators being pivoted for rotation on vertical axes, a. switch blade secured at one end to the top of each of the pivoted insulators and adapted to electrically engage at its other end with the adjacent switch terminal, an electrical connection between the outlet line of each unit and the adjacent end of a switch blade, and an operative coupling between said shaft and a r0- tatably mounted insulator by which rotary motion may be transmitted simultaneously to the .pivoted insulators of the switch units.

4. A gang operated switch of the character stated in claim 3, wherein said shaft at each switch unit has a crank arm secured thereto, a crank arm secured to each pivoted insulator of the switch unit, and a coupling link between each' crank arm carried by the shaft and the crank arm connected with the adjacent pivoted insulator.

JOHN A. POLLOCK. ERSKINE H. COPPINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

